When you look in the mirror, what do you notice? Let’s say you catch a look at yourself a half dozen times a day, opening a door, closing the microwave or washing your hands - each time, making an adjustment to your appearance. This fine-tuning helps maintain your self image. And if these reflections not only revealed your fashion sense, but your leadership ability, what would be reflected?
Making that conscious check is referred to as self-awareness. The challenge in developing your awareness and leadership ability is getting the feedback you need at the right time, seeing yourself in the mirror.
When it comes to immediate feedback, horses are one of the best teachers. A horse is acutely perceptive, brutally honest and has no hidden agenda. Like all social species, a herd animal looks for a leader. Their communication is non-verbal – the horse’s ears, eyes and body language will tell a lot about what they are thinking. If we begin to recognize the impact of our non-verbal cues on a horse, it becomes easier to understand and recognize the importance of non-verbal communication in our dialogue with people.
Take the simple task of leading a horse. How you lead a horse says more about you than the horse. If your approach suggests fear or no control – the horse will assume the lead. If your emotions get in the way and you become aggressive you might coerce the horse to follow, but out of fear not respect. To get the horse in step you have to recognize the process is as important as the destination.
A natural leader, the horse is also a natural follower. As you gain confidence and clarity through experience and reflection the horse will mirror those efforts, it is this ability that makes them a perfect tool for self-assessment. The beauty of horses is in the subtlety they teach us to embrace.
If the horse is your mirror, what reflection do you see?
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